Machine for corrugating sheet metal



June 1930. .1. R. FREEZE MACHINE FOR CORRUGATING SHEET METAL Filed March 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENJOR w dlltw ATTORNEY.

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Filed March 28. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. lou fimu R Pag QM/w ATTORNEY.

MACHINE FOR CORRUGAT-ING SHEET METAL IA M M i EN 3 Wm Y QR R; m E mflw J n v Mir NE Q k x; m MN: k: N N ll 8 -w m Q E J 3 w w m w June 24; 1930.

J U NF i J 71 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE JONATHAN ROY IFIBJEEZE, OE MIDDLE-TOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN ROI-LING MILL COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO MACHINE FOR CORRUGA'IING SHEET METAL Application filed March 28, 1928. Serial No. 265,485.

forming corrugations in. flat sheet-metal, and particularl to a machine wherein the sheet metal to be corrugated is passed continuously through a series of rolls whichv will fold successively of the corrugations.

Prior practice generally has applied two methods for corrugating metals. One consists of passing flat sheets through a doublethe crests and valleys I slide toggle-press or a similar machine, and

a corrugation is formed with each stroke of the slide. After forming the first corrugation the sheet is advanced, one corrugatlon at a time, one slide working in advance of the other and holding the previously formed corrugation while the second follows with a forming strokes: The metal is taken up fronP the uncorrugated end only. This method limits the length of the sheets to the span between press housings and the rate of production to the permissible speed of the press.

The second method is semi-continuous and more rapid, but is also limited for sheet lengths by the housing span. The machine emplo ed might be described as a pair of wide-fi med gears, loosely meshed, and with a tooth-form like that of a finished corru gation. The gear-like corrugating rolls are rotated and a carefully timed device thrusts the sheets between them at such a point so that the first corrugation is formed in correct relation to the edge of the sheet.

My invention relates to machines for minimum. This is accomplished with my towards a common center line while forming successive half corrugations.

A still further object is to pvercome the limitations of other methods in the length 01'' width of the sheet. In my machine, and because of the corrugating method employed by it, the practicable length of rolls limits only the sheet width, and there is practically no limit as to sheet length.

It is also my object to first form-a central corrugation and thereafter fold as much of the sheet as is necessary to form the crests and valleys of successive corrugations alternately as the sheet progresses through the machine. That is, each succeeding roll folds over enough material for one-half of a corrugation.

Other objects, new and novel features will be more specifically described as the specification proceeds.

Inthe drawings 35 Shrinkage, due to'corrugating, 1s accommo- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my machine dated by the tail end of the sheet as 'in the -for orming corrugations in sheet metals first method. Though this method is more successively;

. fold the corrugations into the sheet with my machine, thereby decreasin the internal stresses and strains due to orming to a Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my machine showing how successive rolls are drlven;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the progressive steps of corrugation from start to finish over a width of a sheet; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of one-half of a corrugation.

For purposes of illustration I have shown. eleven stands of two-high rolls. The first set of rolls 1 and 1 at the left end of my machine are rotatably mounted in the main side frames 1 as are all the other corrugating rolls 2, 2, to 11, llinclusive rugation is to be described. The rolls are geardriven (to be described) and rotate in the proper direction to feed the sheet through the machine. These rolls 1 and 1 are smooth on their surface and are used to start a sheet through the machine. When the sheet reaches a rotating set of rolls 2 and 2 a central corrugation 2 will be folded in the sheet by the convex ridge 2 on the upper roll 2 and a concave groove on the lower mating roll 2 in which the convex ridge 2 meshes. This aforementioned central corthe only complete corrugation formed at one time and it is centrally located in order to definitely guide the sheet as it continues through the machine.

On advancing between the next succeeding set of rolls 3 and 3 two one-half corrugations 3 (see Fi 3) will be folded into the sheet on each si e of the central corrugation formed by the rolls 2 and 2*. These half corrugations are formed by the concave grooves 3 on the roll 3 and mating convex ridges on the roll 3*. During the folding operation the sides of the sheet will be equally drawn towards the center of the machine. Since the metal is only folded over a half corrugation at onetime it is apparent that there will be a minimum amount of abrasive action on the surface because no sliding action takes place.

Further advancement of the sheet through the machine passes it between therotating rolls 4 and 4? where two more half corruga tions 4? one on each side of the center, are formed. The additional convex ridges 4 are now on the upper roll 4 and the concave groove is .on its lower mating roll 4 The sides of the sheet will again be drawn equally towards the center as was the case while folding the sheet between the rolls 3 and 3 For purpose of simplicity in the specification it is here stated that the convex ridges and concave grooves on mating rolls from 5, 5 to 11, 11, inclusive, will alternate in the same fashion as described for the rolls 3, 3 and 4, 4. In each case the one-half corrugations formed. on a particulanroll'will be identified by the letter I), and 0 will identify the corresponding convex ridge or concave groove for any particular set of rolls.

The direction of rotation of each of the .rolls is indicated'by arrows and since the sheet. must advance through the machine at a uniform rate of speed I have interconnected each set of rolls by gears 12 and 12 which will necessarily rotate the rolls at the same speed and in the proper direction. Between each stand of rolls I have placed the idler gears13 which mesh with the gears 12 and drive these gears and the rolls. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen how these gears will cause all the the several rolls to rotate in the proper direction as indicated by the arrows.

A gear '14 which is similar to another idler gear is mounted in approximately the center of my machine on the shaft 15.. This gear is the source of power from the motor and drives all the rolls through the idler gears and the gears on the rolls. This gear is keyed on a shaft 15 which is journaled and rotates in the main frame 1 in its bearings 15. Mounted on the opposite end of the shaft is a bull gear 16 which is driven by a train of gears 17 starting at the motor 18. The reason for locating my main drive approximately in the center is to decrease the accumulative lost motion in the gears to a minimum and thereby insure uniform feeding of the sheet while folding the corruga-r tions.

In my machine I feed flat sheets of any length between the first set of rolls at the left which feed the sheet to the next set of rolls where a single complete corrugation is formed. On passing through each succeeding set of rolls 'two one-half corrugations are formed in a manner that is analogous to a pleating action. The sheet continues moving through the machine and the corrugations are formed successively until the entire sheet has passed through and it will emerge from the right-hand end with neatly folded corrugations over the entire length of thesheet, all of the rolls assisting the feeding of the sheet during the folding operation and holding the advanced portion pfhphe metal, while permitting the tail to Having thus described my .invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A machine for forming corrugations in sheet metal, which comprises a series of stands of rolls having circumferential ridges and matching rooves, said rolls arranged so that in'the rst stand a pair of opposed folds is formed in the metal lengthwise and centrall thereof, and in the succeeding stands one old is made at each side of the previously folded portions, and a drive for said rolls in the said stands, comprising a gear system" between the several rolls of stands to drive all of them, and a main drive for said gear system located substantially centrally intermediate the said gear system for the purpose described.

- JbNATHAN ROY EEEEzE. 

